Gary McKinnon: US official 'very disappointed' over decision to block

A senior American official has criticised the UK for blocking the extradition
of Gary McKinnon, saying: "We do not think this is how allies act".

Pressed over the row by BBC presenter Andrew Neil on the Sunday Politics, Home Secretary Theresa May admitted she had not spoken with US attorney general Eric Holder since blocked Gary McKinnon's extradition last TuesdayPhoto: GEOFF PUGH/PA

"We value our alliance with the UK but we do not think this decision is how allies act in the matter of such importance."

His comments follow accusations that Theresa May's relationship with the US is "finished", as she admitted she had not spone to the US attorney-general Eric Holder for at least five days after Mr McKinnon's extradition was blocked.

The Home Secretary has tried to play down suggestions that she had let the US Government believe that she would go ahead with the extradition.

The Daily Telegraph disclosed on Saturday that a furious Mr Holder was refusing to take Mrs May’s phone calls because of the decision. Officials have described the US's relationship with Mrs May as "finished".

The row over Mr McKinnon is threatening to become the biggest cooling in trans-Atlantic relations since Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Al-Megrahi was released three years ago.

Mr Holder is said personally to feel "completely screwed” by Mrs May’s decision not to extradite Mr McKinnon because of doctors’ fears that he might kill himself.

This weekend, Mrs May insisted the UK-US relationship remained close, saying: “We have a strong and secure relationship with the United States administration across a whole range of issues, on national security matters, on extradition, the special relationship generally.”

According to the newspaper, the UK has refused 11 extraditions to the US out of more than 130 requests. 77 people have been extradited, with the other cases still pending.

The US has not refused to extradite anyone to Britain, with 38 people being sent over.

"Extraditions are unbelievably important. It's not going to do anybody any favours to refuse extradition," said Mr Breuer.